The devil tarot card reversed: Lost in the shadows

The devil card in tarot reminds us to look in our shadows. What is holding us back from achieving our highest potential? What beliefs are we holding fast to that do not serve us? What do we tell ourselves about ourselves that have no basis is our current reality? These are our shadows. They exist in our consciousness and keep us from excelling in our true potential. This is what we are reminded of with the upright devil card. We are coaxed into exploring these shadows and to move past them. We are reminded that if we follow these shadows back to the light that casts them, we can move beyond them and become the best version of our self, no longer hindered by misguided notions. This is a very empowering message to receive, and an even more empowering action to take. We must though, choose to take it.

The devil card in its reversed position suggests that maybe we are not doing all that we can do. Here we are looking at our shadows, and living in fear of them. Rather than moving past them, rather than exploring them to see what is in them and why they are here at all, rather than following them to the light that we cast them, we surrender to them. This is to live in fear. This is to stay stuck in stagnant energy and never transcend it. This is not to live life to our fullest or to live up to our highest potential becoming the best version of our self. This is to give up before you even try.

We are not meant to be limited, yet, so many of us are. We hit a block and say “I can’t get around it.” This is the devil inside of you holding us back, projecting images of fear into our mind. The task at hand is to silent that devil and excel no matter what. Beat the devil by getting past these blocks. Do it just once, and every time after that will be a piece of cake.

When the devil card shows up for you in the reversed position, ask yourself, “What am I afraid of?” Then laugh at the fear and push through it.

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Jim Larsen is a professional tarot card reader with many satisfied clients.
He is the author of "The Double Oh Fool guide to Tarot Mastery," What's Tarot Got To Do With It: The Fool's Path to Enlightenment" and the "Knowings from The Silence" series of books. He has been reading tarot for eleven years in several countries.